The night before the college entrance exam results were released, I redeemed my Peking University ad

The same scene is playing out in all the world's top universities.

Harvard, MIT, Oxford, Cambridge...

The mathematicians who were just mocking him all obediently opened the preprint, going from initial indifference to growing increasingly shocked as they read, until finally they were completely frozen in place.

Soon, more and more leading figures in the mathematics community began to speak out on social media platforms:

"I just finished reading the preprint of the Kolas conjecture. I must say, my previous mockery was too hasty."

"This is absolutely not a farce. It is a groundbreaking proof. Even if it is eventually found to have flaws, its ideas are enough to advance the entire field of number theory by ten years."

From Carl Hoffman, Chair of the Department of Mathematics at MIT.

……

"I spent three hours reading the proof of Goldbach's Conjecture, and I'm still not fully recovered."

"I wouldn't say it's 100% correct, but at least I haven't found any logical flaws so far."

"If this was really written by an eighteen-year-old boy, then I can only say that our generation may be about to witness the arrival of a new era."

Richard Dawson, Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University.

……

"I've reviewed both proofs, and now I have only one thought: I want to go to the ICM conference."

"I want to see this boy named Ji Bai with my own eyes. I have a lot of questions to ask him."

From Fields Medal winner Pierre Borel.

……

The entire international mathematics community was in an uproar.

No one dares to say anymore that this is a publicity stunt, a farce, or a joke.

Everyone had to admit that these two pieces of evidence were truly groundbreaking achievements that were enough to shake the entire academic community.

An eighteen-year-old Chinese boy, single-handedly, has brought two century-old problems that have plagued humanity for a hundred years to the brink of being "proven".

But even so.

No bigwigs volunteered to go to China to attend the verification conference.

Everyone tacitly agreed that they were really looking forward to this ICM conference.

"This year's ICM is definitely the most exciting one in the last twenty years. The presentations of the two major conjectures alone are worth the price of admission."

"I have prepared seventeen questions, and I am just waiting to ask that Chinese prodigy in person."

"To witness the verification of Goldbach's Conjecture and the Kolas conjecture in my lifetime would be enough to make me die without regrets."

Honestly, I haven't looked forward to an academic conference this much in many years.

……

The words were beautifully spoken, but everyone understood the underlying meaning.

The results are impressive; the boy is a genius.

But you still have to come over.

Come here in person, stand before me like a student, and prove it to me.

Instead of me going there myself like a student, sitting under the podium, and listening to you talk to me.

Acknowledging your achievements is already a huge favor, so don't be ungrateful.

This is an arrogance ingrained in some people's bones; even if you produce groundbreaking results, you still have to follow their rules.

……

When the news reached China, netizens had mixed feelings.

On the one hand, it's a sense of pride and triumph:

"Haha! Where are those foreigners who were just mocking you? Come on, say something!"

"Even the pottery master has stamped it! Let's see who dares to say we're counterfeiting now!"

"This is such a source of pride for us! Eighteen years old! Two century-old problems! Awesome!"

"This has completely stunned the Western number theory community! It's incredibly prestigious!"

"Where are the international students who previously called Ji Bai a disgrace? Come out and apologize!"

……

After enjoying it, I felt a little frustrated.

We've presented two century-old problems, but the foreigners still refuse to come; they're still putting on airs and expecting us to come over.

Many people started advising Ji Bai again:

"Go, Ji Bai! This is already a huge recognition! Even Fields Medal winners want to see you!"

"Exactly! The ICM conference! An opportunity that so many people would kill for!"

"What's past is past! It'll be much more satisfying to slap them in the face on their home turf!"

"Let's throw two century-old problems in their faces and see if they still dare to be arrogant!"

"To be fair, Ji Bai, you've already won by getting those big shots to unite and exert pressure in a tacit way!"

"Ji Bai, let's be more magnanimous!"

……

Although it was frustrating, everyone felt that this was the best possible outcome.

At least those top mathematicians have already acknowledged your achievements; they're just going to talk about them.

And it was presented at the ICM conference.

After all, that's a stage that mathematicians all over the world dream of.

……

At this moment, Ji Bai had just gotten up.

[Ding! Daily selection has been refreshed. Do you want to use a specific category card?]

Ji Bai opened the system panel and glanced at the number of shock points.

After yesterday's system upgrade, the shock value, which was originally over 18,000, has been reduced to just over 8,000.

But after a day and a night of fermentation, the shock value reached a terrifying 20,000!

That's enough to redeem a card of a specific category.

"use!"

Ji Bai decided to use one to see the effect.

[Ding! Do you wish to spend 1 reputation points to exchange for a card with a specified option?]

"yes!"

[Ding! Redemption successful!]

Please select a specific category!

"math!"

[Ding! Designation successful!]

If you had 100 yuan, how would you spend it?

1. Gauss's mathematical talent (80 yuan)

2. Complete proof of the twin prime conjecture (10 yuan)

3. Complete proof of the Poincaré conjecture (10 yuan)

4. Complete proof of the Riemann Hypothesis (80 yuan)

5. Complete proof of the Four Color Theorem (10 yuan)

6. Complete proof of the ABC conjecture (10 yuan)

……

"Holy crap!"

Ji Bai looked at the six options and exclaimed in horror!

All top-notch stuff!

Twin primes, Poincaré, four colors, ABC – any one of these is a game-changer in academia!

Not to mention Gauss's mathematical talent and the crown jewel of mathematics, the Riemann Hypothesis!

As expected of an item card worth 10,000 Shock Points!

But then, Ji Bai hesitated.

The main hesitation lies between options 1 and 4.

He wanted Gauss's talent, and the Riemann Hypothesis proved that he wanted it too!

Which one should we choose?

Ji Bai stroked his chin, hesitating for a long time.

"I choose 1, 2, and 3!"

In the end, he chose Gauss's talent!

To put it simply, it's about teaching someone how to fish versus giving them a fish.

The Riemann Hypothesis is indeed tempting; if it were thrown out, it would absolutely shatter the entire mathematical community.

Gauss's talent was "fishing," the fundamental ability to continuously produce results on his own.

[Ding! Your transaction is complete. Please come back tomorrow!]

The next second, Ji Bai felt a "buzz" in his head, his vision went black, and he fainted.

. . .

At the city guesthouse, Academician Wang, who had just woken up after sleeping for most of the day, asked as soon as possible, "Has there been any response from IMU?"

"Uh, teacher... you can see for yourself."

The graduate student standing nearby hesitated for a moment before handing over his phone.

My phone was connected to the Academy of Mathematical Sciences' own VPN, which directly accessed the external network. The screen was filled with tweets and comments from international social media platforms.

Academician Wang took the phone, put on his reading glasses, and slowly swiped his thumb across the screen.

As he scrolled through the updates of leading figures in the international mathematics community, his expression changed repeatedly.

He was so angry when he saw the initial comments mocking and accusing him of fabricating the story that his mustache stood on end.

Then, after seeing Terence Tao speak out, the bigwigs all changed their tune and admitted that the proof was valuable. He couldn't help but get excited, and his fingers were trembling.

But when he flipped to the end, everyone was saying "looking forward to the ICM conference," and no one mentioned coming to China to attend. His face gradually darkened again.

Anger, excitement, frustration...

They admitted it.

But they still didn't come!

Just as Academician Wang was silently staring at his phone screen, the door was pushed open.

Lin Boqian walked in, also holding a phone in his hand, with the same message displayed on the screen.

He understood everything as soon as he saw the expression on Academician Wang's face.

"Mr. Wang, you're watching too."

Academician Wang did not answer. He gently placed his phone on the bedside table, took off his reading glasses, and slowly rubbed his brow with two fingers for a long time.

Following closely behind, Director Zhang from Peking University and Dean Wu from Nanjing University also walked in, each with a fascinating expression on their face.

No one expected that after only half a day of sleep, the world outside would turn upside down.

The release of two world-class conjectures certainly shocked the entire Western mathematical community, but even if they acknowledged your prowess, they still maintained their airs and refused to come to China.

"well……"

Finally, Academician Wang sighed deeply and waved his hand:

"Let's go again and try to persuade Ji Bai. It's a bit of a hardship, but ICM is the ultimate stage... Sigh!"

Everyone nodded in silence.

I was unwilling to accept it, but I had no choice.

If two century-old problems couldn't get them to come over, what else can we do?